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National research watchdog calls on OU to convert baboon facility into sanctuaryMedia Coverage About SAEN Stop Animal Exploitation Now

ACTION ALERT:

INSIST OU's President Boren MEET with SAEN...Following SAEN's multi-year
campaign, Univ. of OK (OU) recently announced the end of their baboon
breeding and research program. NOW, SAEN is contacting David Boren, OU's
President, requesting a meeting to discuss conversion of OU's primate
facility into a sanctuary. So far, Boren has not responded.

PLEASE CONTACT OU's President, David Boren, to POLITELY insist that he
meet with SAEN staff and advisors.

President Boren, OU has taken a great step forward by announcing the
planned closure of their baboon breeding and research program. Now, please
meet with SAEN staff and advisors to discuss the possibility of turning the
OU primate facility into a sanctuary.

National research watchdog calls on OU to convert baboon facility
into sanctuary
By
M. Delatorre,
KFOR.com, January 7, 2016

A national research watchdog, called Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN),
is insisting that the University of Oklahoma convert its baboon facility
into a sanctuary.

OU decided, after allegations that they were mistreating their baboons,
that it would shut down the facility entirely.

“The University is committed to treating baboons humanely and with a high
level of care throughout the transition to ensure that baboons will not be
adversely affected by these changes,” a statement from the university said.

SAEN was pleased with the decision, but is now calling on the university
to turn the facility into a baboon sanctuary, rather than sending the
primates to another research lab. They say it would not be beneficial to
send the baboons elsewhere because “many other major primate lab facilities
in the U.S. have a history of breaking the law.”

“This is especially true for one lab that could be considered an option
for the baboons by the NIH, the Texas Biomedical Research Institute…TBRI,
which currently houses over 1400 baboons, has a long history of negligent
primate deaths including baboons,” SAEN wrote in a letter.

To no avail, the watchdog has repeatedly tried to contact OU President
David Boren.

A letter from SAEN strongly urged a meeting with OU to discuss the
matter, noting:

“(T)he University of Oklahoma has received over $22,000,000 from the
National Institutes of Health in the last ten years for the baboons. It is
also likely that OU received funding from other sources for supplying
baboons. In light of the income generated for OU by the baboons, we believe
that the University of Oklahoma has a moral and ethical obligation to
provide for the needs of these baboons for the rest of their natural lives.

Therefore, we must insist that the University of Oklahoma examine the
possibility of transforming the current OU baboon facility into a baboon
sanctuary. As we have stated previously, we would be happy to assist in this
process and are again requesting the opportunity to meet with you to discuss
this matter.”

The animal rights group says it has “a wide range of resources and
experts, including primatologist and OU graduate Bob Ingersoll, to
thoroughly research the possibilities that this situation presents.”

It is believed that if OU were to give the 676 baboons a sanctuary, the
university would be “setting the standard for how research facilities live
up to their obligations to the animals.”

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